United States Secretary of the Treasury

United States Secretary of the Treasury
Flag of the secretary
Incumbent
Scott Bessent
since January 28, 2025
Department of the Treasury
StyleMr. Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Member ofCabinet
National Security Council
Reports toPresident of the United States
SeatTreasury Building
Washington, D.C.
AppointerPresident of the United States
Senate Advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument31 U.S.C. § 301
PrecursorSuperintendent of Finance
FormationSeptember 11, 1789; 235 years ago (1789-09-11)
First holderAlexander Hamilton
SuccessionFifth[1]
DeputyDeputy Secretary[2]
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level I[3]
Websitetreasury.gov

The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters pertaining to economic and fiscal policy. The secretary is, by custom, a member of the president's cabinet and, by law, a member of the National Security Council,[4] and fifth in the U.S. presidential line of succession.

Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, will take the office if confirmed by the majority of the full United States Senate.

The secretary of state, the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of defense, and the attorney general are generally regarded as the four most important Cabinet officials, due to the size and importance of their respective departments.[5]

  1. ^ "3 U.S. Code § 19 – Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". LII / Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  2. ^ 31 U.S.C. § 301
  3. ^ 5 U.S.C. § 5312
  4. ^ 50 U.S.C. §§ 3021Security Council National Security Council
  5. ^ Cabinets and Counselors: The President and the Executive Branch (1997). Congressional Quarterly. p. 87.

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